Motorcycle Accidents Involving Opened Car Doors
Unfortunately, poor visibility, driver error, and neglect make the risk of a motorcycle accident high. When motorcycle accidents do occur, they can be catastrophic or deadly. Motorcycle accidents often result in severe personal injury because the motorcyclist has no shield of protection. What would be a minor wreck for someone in a car can be deadly for a person on a motorcycle.
Some motorcycle accidents involve car doors. An open car door can throw a motorcyclist from his or her bike and lead to a number of injuries and costly damages. At Chanfrau & Chanfraur, our attorneys offer legal representation to victims of motorcycle accidents involving car doors in the DeLand, FL area. We will fight hard to ensure that our clients are justly compensated for the full extent of their losses.
Damages from Open Car Door Motorcycle Accidents
When a driver opens a car door into the line of traffic of a motorcycle, the cyclist has little time, if any, to respond. In most cases, there is no chance to maneuver around the car door; the motorcyclist may lay down the bike or take the impact of the crash.
Laying down a bike can result in serious injuries that include broken limbs, lacerations, severe road rash, and organ damage. The injuries that may be sustained if the motorcyclist makes impact with the car door can be just as bad. If a motorcyclist hits a car door, the impact can cause head injuries, neck injuries, or spinal cord injuries.
Unfortunately, the physical injuries of a motorcycle accident are only one aspect of the damages. Most accident victims take extended time off work as they recover from their injuries. In some cases, the long-term effect of injuries may make them unable to return to their line of work at all. This, along with the high costs of medical treatment, can put a huge financial strain on motorcycle accident victims.
Who Is at Fault?
Most drivers who open a car door into oncoming traffic have excuses for why they didn’t see the oncoming vehicle approaching. They may claim that the sun was in their eyes or that the motorcycle was in their blind spot. However, there are few cases in which the driver or passenger who opened their door would not be at fault.
It is each person’s responsibility to look around and ensure that there is no oncoming traffic before opening a car door. At Chanfrau & Chanfrau, our attorneys will gather the evidence that is necessary to prove fault in a motorcycle accident involving open car doors so that our clients can collect the compensation they are due for the full extent of their losses.
Contact Us
If you have been injured in a motorcycle accident and are interested in learning more about your legal rights to financial compensation for damages, contact us at your earliest convenience. The experienced attorneys at Chanfrau & Chanfrau will listen to the details of your case and recommend an appropriate course of action for your unique situation.